Students, youth say new EIA rules will destroy environment; demand withdrawal

June 25, 2020

New Delhi: A large number of students and youth from across the country have demanded that the Government put on hold the new draft EIA Notification 2020, saying they pose a threat to environment as they allow unhindered activities such as mining and construction etc that pollute environment and damage the ecosystem.

Over 50 university student unions, college environment clubs, and other youth groups from across und India (Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, Telangana, West Bengal, Punjab, Goa, Pondicherry, MP, UP, Haryana, Odisha, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and more) have stood in solidarity to condemn the passing of the EIA Notification, demanding that it should be rewritten as per recommendations by environmental experts to lead India into a green recovery.

In an initiative spearheaded by the Environment Ministry of Ashoka University and led by Anjali Dalmia (20 y/o Environment Minister from Pune), they have written a letter to Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar expressing their concerns.

“We should use the EIA to bring India out of the COVID-19 pandemic as an environmentally aware country through a green recovery. While economic revival is a national priority, this should be done without compromising the environment and society, as in the long run, it is our natural ecosystem which will support us”, they said Dalmia.

To ensure long-term prosperity and peace, it is imperative that the MOEFCC work with the citizens of this country, rather than in conflict, to implement policies that aid all communities and citizens and conserve the natural life in India, the letter said.

Over the last 50 years, around 50 million people in India have been displaced due to development projects such as these. Dams, mines, industrial development and others account for over 21 million development induced IDP.

The youth of India, whose future will be directly impacted by decisions made today, strongly believe that the current amendments to the EIA pose a serious threat to the environment and society, giving a free reign to several businesses and destructive industries such as mining and construction.

“In recent months/years, we have observed the effects of a weak environmental policy. Mumbai’s Aarey forest was cleared to build a metro shed despite massive protests. Vizag’s LG Polymers caused a gas leak on 7th May. Assam’s Baghjan gas leak is another recent example. Land was cleared to extend the ports in Goa regardless of protests in 2016. Despite the obvious improvement of rivers and lowered pollution levels during the lockdown period, the MOEFCC is still approving destructive projects”, said Taanika Shankar and Smruthi Ananth, members of the Sustainability Committee at Azim Premji University UG.

The new EIA Draft Notification intends to bring in controversial amendments such as post-facto grant of approval, exemption of several large industries from public hearings, permission for industries to submit just one compliance report a year rather than two, increased validity of the environment clearances for mining projects and river valley projects, and many more.

As citizens of this great country and current stakeholders, the students said, they have many reasons to care about their environment. As the country emerges from COVID-19, there is need to make a choice about what kind of India its people wish to live in.

” Our youth have decided to grow up on a land which has thriving forests and clean rivers, a balanced economy that places importance on sustainability and communities, and a system of policy-making that promotes dialogue with the citizens of India,” they said.

—-Indian News Stream